This is my first entry on your website and wondered if anyone could throw some light on this: I was at MAN this afternoon and a Jet2 737 was on short finals on 24R behind a Thomas Cook A320. The Jet2 appeared to be way too close behind the A320 and I expected it to do a go around as the A320 touched down. However, the A320 did a touch and go and the 737 landed normally. I didn't see the A320 come back in again whilst I was there.

Could it be there was a reason where the Jet2 needed to take the number one spot on landing? What was the wather like there, I imagine that that could have been a possability on why the A320 had to abort it's landing.

Weather was perfect (as it often is at this time of year in Manchester!!!) Wish I'd had my scanner with me to listen in to the ATC. I had my camera with me but by the time I thought to take a picture, the opportunity had gone. I reckon that the gap between the two planes was around 2 miles.

Huh, that's weird... I wonder what happended? I would like to look into this little event, sorry that I couldnt have a definate answer about you plight but I've only witnessed a handful of aborted landings but in all those the aircraft never even touched the ground, I hope someone else can give you a more specific answer

Quoting ADB1 (Thread starter):This is my first entry on your website and wondered if anyone could throw some light on this: I was at MAN this afternoon and a Jet2 737 was on short finals on 24R behind a Thomas Cook A320. The Jet2 appeared to be way too close behind the A320 and I expected it to do a go around as the A320 touched down. However, the A320 did a touch and go and the 737 landed normally. I didn't see the A320 come back in again whilst I was there.

Best guess... crew training or a test flight for the A320. I've even been on a few here in the US. Nothing earth shattering.........Given the fact it did a touch and go.. I'd about put money on the fact that there were no paying passengers on-board...........and with the fact you said the 737 was closer then normal behind the A320, ATC already had them stacked tight because they knew the A320 was going to do a touch and go.

[Edited 2006-06-25 02:03:15]

"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog"

I was at the airport for 45 minutes after the incident. The A320 didn't come back in during that time. Having said that, arrivals were constant more or less all afternoon and it may have been stacked up for a while.

I saw something strange at MAN (well Stockport to be precise) on Friday afternoon - A Zoom 763 was flying really high on its approach and then it "disappeared" for five minutes and came back much lower, and presumably, landed. Anyone know what this was?

Quoting RobK (Reply 13):On a serious note, probably did a 360 to the left or right to get the height off. It's not uncommon.

Sometimes for whatever reason ATC will "slam-dunk" an airliner into the airport and the plane won't be able to get down fast enough to accommodate it. In that case it's no one's fault, they just send them on a 360 or vector them around a bit, and go again.

What time was it around - I've looked in my notes and know that the only TCX 320 service in the afternoon is the TCX582L which I've logged as landing at 1317 but have not recorded any Jet2 services around the same time.

I doubt ATC would authorise a training service to do a touch 'n' go when there a few arrivals and departures to be sequenced; typically both BLK and LPL are used for training sorties on Saturdays for any MAN based aircraft.

Quoting RobK (Reply 13):probably did a 360 to the left or right to get the height off. It's not uncommon.

Yes, I have seen this out at PHNL, A 744 was doing it to burn altitude right over the airport, ATC wasn't happy about it but he did it. Another thing is it might have been busy, general aviationally speaking, they make us do a 360 at the end of our downwind if the arrivals at SNA are too much and they need to make room, it happens alot.

My guess is that if the Jet2 aircraft was right up the Thomas Cook's arse then if the first aircraft had have landed and had any sort of problem requiring it to take to the skies again it could be too close for comfort with the jet 2 aircraft doing a go around behind. It is much safer for the aircraft in front to do the go around and for the aircraft behind to land.

It wouldn't have been crew training as MAN generally isn't used for this purpose. Indeed I used to live close to EMA and TCX aircraft would often be seen there doing touch and go's.

Maybe it just was the last tpuch and go of the A320... Lufthansa for example flies from Frankfurt to Rostock-Laage for touch and goes and after the last go they return to FRA without refueling at Rostock.